The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised countries to adhere strictly to the COVID safety protocols such as the use of face masks, social distancing and hand-washing to curb the fast spread of the BA.
2; one of the three sublineages of Omicron.
The two others are BA.
1 and BA.
3.
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The WHO Regional Virologist, Dr.
Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi stated this noting that among the three sub-lineages of Omicron, the features found in the B.
A 2 seemed to be highly transmissible.
Recall that WHO on November 26, 2021, designated the COVID-19 variant B.
1.
1.
529 a variant of concern named Omicron.
The sub-lineage is reportedly responsible for an increase in infections across the world but Omicron is a general name for many several directly related lineages of the SARS-CoV-2 COVID.
Countries especially in Asia and Europe were reported to have recorded an increase in cases linked to BA.
2.
Gumede-Moeletsi stated, “All countries are at risk as long as BA.
2 is circulating due to population movement.
We emphasise the COVID regulations of masks, social distance and handwashing to limit spread.
“The message is that countries yet to comply with the COVID regulations should do so.
This is because this is the only way to stop the transmission and spread of infection.
The BA.
2 is highly transmissible compared to the other two; B.
A 1 and B.
A 3.
But when it comes to disease severity, all of them seem to be the same like other Omicrons.
’’
MTO/Punch
WHO urges countries to adhere strictly to COVID safety protocols